Australia's National Biosolid Research Program - how it came about, and what has it discovered?

The National Biosolids Research Program (NBRP) was established by the CSIRO Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research in 2002 in order to coordinate research relating to the benefits and risks of using biosolids for Australian agriculture. Prior to the establishment of the NBRP, research on biosolid use in agriculture had been concentrated in one state (New South Wales), with pockets of uncoordinated activity in other states. The NBRP is a coalition of seven research agencies around Australia, with support from several metropolitan and regional water authorities, and from several state environmental and natural resource management agencies. In terms of potential environmental risks, the NBRP initially concentrated on metals and focussed field experimentation on cadmium, copper and zinc. The research has subsequently moved onto examining potential risks from pathogens, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting compounds and personal care products. As well as potential risks, the benefits of nutrients and organic matter in biosolids on crop growth are also being assessed, with various cropping systems around Australia being evaluated.

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Vitamin and mineral supplement exposures: cases reported to Australia’s largest Poisons Information Centre, 2014-15 to 2018-19

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114521000647 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Usha Luckock ◽

Joanna Harnett ◽

Rose Cairns

Keyword(s):

New South ◽

High Strength ◽

Mineral Supplement ◽

Information Centre ◽

The Public ◽

Mineral Supplements ◽

South Wales ◽

Unit Dose ◽

Potential Risks ◽

Poisons Information

ABSTRACT Vitamin and mineral supplements (VMS) are widely available and commonly used. Little is known about patterns of poisoning exposures to VMS in the Australian population. We performed a retrospective study of calls to the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre (NSWPIC), July 2014-June 2019. NSWPIC is Australia’s largest PIC, taking approximately 100,000 calls/year (50% of Australian poisoning calls) from healthcare professionals and members of the public. We conducted additional analyses on iron exposures due to their high risk of acute toxicity. There were 10 944 VMS exposures reported to NSWPIC during the study period, increasing 9.6% per annum over a five year period (95%CI, 7.2 – 12.1%). Toddlers (1-4 years) accounted for 41.5% (4546) of cases. Agents most commonly involved were multivitamins (n=3610), Vitamin D (n=2080), iron (n=1533), and magnesium (n=804). In 17.7% (1934) of cases the call originated from hospital or the patient was referred to hospital by NSWPIC. Iron exposures increased by 14.0% per year (95%CI, 9.5 – 18.5%), and most were associated with high strength products (>45 mg elemental iron per unit dose, n=1036). Iron exposures were hospitalised in 38% of cases (n=583). We conclude that vitamin and mineral supplement exposures are increasing in Australia. Although most exposures can be managed at home, many required hospitalisation. Iron exposures are increasing and had higher rates of hospitalisation than other agents. Vitamin and mineral supplements are often considered safe and without the potential for adverse effects, highlighting the importance of public education into the potential risks of misuse of these products.

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If long fallow cropping is leaky then shallow groundwaters on the Liverpool Plains should be of recent origin

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea03133 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 44 (10) ◽

pp. 1051 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R. R. Young ◽

A. Broughton ◽

J. M. Bradd ◽

J. F. Holland

Keyword(s):

Cropping Systems ◽

New South ◽

Shallow Groundwater ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Deep Drainage ◽

Site Specific ◽

South Wales ◽

Recent Origin ◽

Unexpected Outcome

Previous groundwater studies have indicated that up to 195 000 ha of the Liverpool Plains catchment, south of Gunnedah, New South Wales, Australia, are at risk from shallow saline watertables. Replacement of hydraulically stable, native perennial grasslands with more ‘leaky’ annual cropping systems since the 1950s, particularly long fallow wheat–sorghum rotations, has been held responsible for an apparent increased frequency of shallow watertables and saline discharge. If so, then it follows that shallow groundwater in the alluvium will be recent (less than about 30 years old) and the solution to the problem is a straightforward reduction in deep drainage under farming systems via increased evapotranspiration. However, in this study, we have found levels of bomb pulse tritium in shallow groundwaters that indicate that about half of the shallow groundwaters in the Mooki subcatchment pre-date current agricultural practices. A hypothesis for this unexpected outcome suggests that the problem is complex and that solutions need to be site-specific.

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Investigation of In Vitro Endocrine Activities of Microcystis and Planktothrix Cyanobacterial Strains

Toxins ◽

10.3390/toxins12040228 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 228 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Vittoria Mallia ◽

Lada Ivanova ◽

Gunnar S. Eriksen ◽

Emma Harper ◽

Lisa Connolly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Relative Concentration ◽

Liver Microsomes ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽

Bioactive Metabolites ◽

Global Challenge ◽

Endocrine Disrupting ◽

Agonist And Antagonist ◽

17Β Estradiol ◽

Potential Risks

Cyanobacteria are cosmopolitan photosynthetic prokaryotes that can form dense accumulations in aquatic environments. They are able to produce many bioactive metabolites, some of which are potentially endocrine disrupting compounds, i.e., compounds that interfere with the hormonal systems of animals and humans. Endocrine disruptors represent potential risks to both environmental and human health, making them a global challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential endocrine disrupting activities with emphasis on estrogenic effects of extracts from cultures of Microcystis or Planktothrix species. We also assessed the possible role of microcystins, some of the most studied cyanobacterial toxins, and thus included both microcystin-producing and non-producing strains. Extracts from 26 cyanobacterial cultures were initially screened in estrogen-, androgen-, and glucocorticoid-responsive reporter-gene assays (RGAs) in order to identify endocrine disruption at the level of nuclear receptor transcriptional activity. Extracts from selected strains were tested repeatedly in the estrogen-responsive RGAs, but the observed estrogen agonist and antagonist activity was minor and similar to that of the cyanobacteria growth medium control. We thus focused on another, non-receptor mediated mechanism of action, and studied the 17β-estradiol (natural estrogen hormone) biotransformation in human liver microsomes in the presence or absence of microcystin-LR (MC-LR), or an extract from the MC-LR producing M. aeruginosa PCC7806 strain. Our results show a modulating effect on the estradiol biotransformation. Thus, while 2-hydroxylation was significantly decreased following co-incubation of 17β-estradiol with MC-LR or M. aeruginosa PCC7806 extract, the relative concentration of estrone was increased.

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Fate and analysis of endocrine disrupting chemicals in some sewage treatment plants in Australia

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2008.573 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 58 (11) ◽

pp. 2187-2194 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

H. M. Coleman ◽

S. J. Khan ◽

G. Watkins ◽

R. M. Stuetz

Keyword(s):

New South ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽

Sewage Treatment ◽

Tertiary Treatment ◽

Domestic Waste ◽

Sewage Treatment Plants ◽

South Wales ◽

Androgenic Activity ◽

Treated Sewage ◽

Endocrine Disrupting

There are limited studies on the fate and levels of endocrine disrupting chemicals in sewage treatment plants in Australia. Research undertaken in Europe and North America has shown biologically significant levels of both oestrogenic and androgenic chemicals in sewage effluent. The aim of this work was to determine the oestrogenic and androgenic activities of raw and treated sewage from sewage treatment plants run by MidCoast Water, New South Wales, Australia. Oestrogenic and androgenic activities were measured using a yeast screen bioassay. Results showed that the raw effluent contained biologically significant levels of both oestrogenic (0.58–2.91 ng/l) and androgenic (216–480 ng/l) activities. Androgenic activity was significantly higher than oestrogenic activity, which was consistent with other Australian studies and was attributed to the higher levels of androgens in domestic waste from human excretion compared to oestrogens. Secondary treatment (using activated sludge) removed the majority of the oestrogenic and androgenic activity (up to 99%). Tertiary treatment by UV removed varying levels of oestrogenic (19–69%) and androgenic (5–55%) activities. A Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) at one of the STPs, which consists of an MBR followed by electrochlorination removed over 87% of the oestrogenic activity and over 98% of androgenic activity from raw sewage samples. However, levels which could be biologically significant still remained after secondary and tertiary treatment (>0.1 ng/l oestrogenic activity and >1 ng/l androgenic activity).

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Chickpea in wheat-based cropping systems of northern New South Wales. II. Influence on biomass, grain yield, and crown rot in the following wheat crop

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.1071/a97067 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 49 (3) ◽

pp. 401 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

W. L. Felton ◽

H. Marcellos ◽

C. Alston ◽

R. J. Martin ◽

D. Backhouse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cropping Systems ◽

New South ◽

Disease Incidence ◽

New South Wales ◽

Crown Rot ◽

Wheat Crop ◽

Soil N ◽

Grain Yields ◽

Plant Soil ◽

South Wales

Rotational effects of chickpea, an important N2-fixing pulse legume of the northern grains region, on subsequent wheat require quantification of the contribution of the legume to soil N and the N status of the wheat, and of suppression of soil and stubble-borne pathogens, such as crown rot (Fusarium graminearum Schwabe Group 1). Results from selected treatments of 10 experiments in northern New South Wales in which chickpea and wheat in one season were followed by wheat in following seasons indicated generally higher dry matter (DM) and grain yields of wheat after chickpea than after wheat. Responses to chickpea were -0·8 to 3·3 t/ha (shoot DM) and -3 to 39 kg N/ha (shoot N). Responses in wheat grain yields were -0·1 to 1·7 t/ha (mean 0·85 t/ha); grain N responses were -2 to 33 kg/ha (mean 19 kg/ha). Grain protein responses were small (0·6%) and variable. Although these productivity responses could be explained largely in terms of additional nitrate-N following chickpea, we measured reduced incidences of crown rot in wheat after chickpea (range 1-36%, mean of 12%), compared with wheat after wheat (range 5-52%, mean 30%). Modelling the incidence of crown rot indicated highly significant interactions between prior crop and total water (pre-plant soil water plus in-crop rainfall). When wheat followed chickpea, incidence of the disease declined sharply with increasing water. When wheat followed wheat, there was a marginal decline in disease incidence with increasing water. Our results support the strategy of using legumes in rotation with wheat in the northern grains region for enhanced soil-N supply and disease-break effects.

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